Operation Upshot/Knothole
US Atomic Veterans
Vincent Cervantes
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002
From: Vincent Cervantes vcervantes@westwood.edu
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: another atomic veteran
I suppose not very many people are interested in us any more, not
that any one really was, but for the sake of all of my buddies who may
want to know " I wonder what ever happened to 'what's his name' ", I am
submitting my atomic experience.
My name is Vincent Cervantes. I was a Sfc Communication's Chief for
Hq. battery, 2nd AAA (AW), 1st Armored Division. Stationed at Ft. Hood
Texas, I was assigned as CBR NCO and was ordered to go to the atomic
test so that I could tell all the rest of the men all about it.
From what I remember, we were given film badges and sent to the fox
holes to observe the 280 mm cannon fire the atomic device. We were told
to look down towards the bottom of the hole and when we saw something
like some had taked a flash photo of us, to get up and look toards the
blast. We did and as soon as we did, the ball of fire started to rise
very quickly. When the fireball had risen a few hundred feet, we marched
right away towards the blast area.
Not a very nice experience, and I do not wish anyone else to go what
we have gone through. Sick as most of us are, and have been, no one in
the government cares about any of us.
Keep up the good work,
Vincent Cervantes
SFC, US Army Veteran.
vcervantes@westwood.edu
Keith Whittle
September 17, 2002
Operation Upshot/Knothole